It's cold this time of year--perfect time to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate, but since kids don't hibernate, here are some fun ideas of things to do with them:
Chart the temperatures--make a graph showing the temperature each day (you can check online or in the newspaper each morning for the high and low). If you moved from a different climate, or know where you are going for your internship/full time job, it might be fun to track the temperature in that city as well and compare the two (or maybe that will scare you from wanting to live there!)
Snow experiments--fill a jar with snow, mark the level of it on the outside of the jar. Take the jar inside and let the snow melt. What happened? Why?
Fill a spray bottle with water and a little food coloring. Let your kids decorate the snow with their "spray paint"
Create a snow scene with white paint or chalk on black (or other dark) paper. Or make a snow globe by gluing small plastic figures (trees, people, animals) to the inside of a jar lid (make sure you use a waterproof glue). Then fill the jar with water and a tablespoon or so of white glitter.) Screw the lid on tightly and then shake!
Stomp in frozen puddles.
Chart the temperatures--make a graph showing the temperature each day (you can check online or in the newspaper each morning for the high and low). If you moved from a different climate, or know where you are going for your internship/full time job, it might be fun to track the temperature in that city as well and compare the two (or maybe that will scare you from wanting to live there!)
Measure the temperature in snow bank. Animals take advantage of the snow to shield them from the cold and wind. You can see how the temperature differs by digging a hole into a snowbank, placing an outdoor thermometer inside the space and leaving it for a few hours. Come back and compare this temperature to the temperature of the outside air.
Feed the birds--for the birds that stay behind, its nice to help them find food. Pinecones slathered with pb and then rolled in birdseed, make holes in the cup and put a stick through each hole to make a perch for the bird, then fill the cup with unsalted nuts, seeds, raisins
Snow experiments--fill a jar with snow, mark the level of it on the outside of the jar. Take the jar inside and let the snow melt. What happened? Why?
Fill a spray bottle with water and a little food coloring. Let your kids decorate the snow with their "spray paint"
Create a snow scene with white paint or chalk on black (or other dark) paper. Or make a snow globe by gluing small plastic figures (trees, people, animals) to the inside of a jar lid (make sure you use a waterproof glue). Then fill the jar with water and a tablespoon or so of white glitter.) Screw the lid on tightly and then shake!Stomp in frozen puddles.
